There are numerous inventions designed to improve the aim of a free throw shooter in the game of basketball. As with this invention, many are to be used with a standard basketball goal for improving a player's aim. None of the inventions known to this applicant comprises the same features for achieving this end.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,394, issued to Richard Deal, comprises an annular member positioned below the standard basketball rim. An ideally shot ball will pass through this annular member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,651, issued to Edward Keeling, comprises a plurality of hoops positioned such that a line representing the descending path of a desirably shot basketball will pass substantially through the centers of both of the basketball hoops.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,789, issued to Horace Gates, comprises a rim which is smaller in diameter than the standard rim and which is placed over the standard rim in order to make the diameter smaller. The idea behind this invention is that if the player becomes accustomed to a smaller diameter, aim will be improved. U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,059, issued to Aubrey Owen, Jr., similarly comprises interchangeable hoops of decreasing diameter for use with the standard size hoop. U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,092, issued to Addison Riepe, comprises a smaller diameter rim which is placed within the standard rim and secured with a plurality of horizontally extended brackets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,886, issued to Don Lamb, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,569, issued to James Wong, comprise a target positioned above the goal's rim in a vertical center line of the plane of the rim. This target is displaced when hit by a thrown ball. The goal of this invention is to encourage the shooter to aim at a spot just above the center line of the rim. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,912, issued to Howard Silagy, comprises a bright ball suspended within the rim and net, approximately 3 to 4 inches below the plane of the rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,915, issued to Carl Woodcock, comprises radially extending members (extending from the rim), which support free standing vertical elements, again to improve the player's aim by deflecting basketball shots having an undesirable trajectory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,606, issued to Robert Wilson, comprises a secondary hoop which projects upwardly and outwardly from the conventional hoop at the point opposite the backboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,048, issued to Cornelius Winesberry, comprises members extending upright from the hoop to provide a target area between the uprights at which the shooter aims.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,381, issued to Mark Hackett, comprises a ball rotatably held on a chord at approximately the center of the plane of the rim to provide a target for the shooter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,427, issued to Gerard Soignet, uses a combination of a computer, laser and other devices to indicate the optimal shot path of a basketball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,257, issued to George Palmer, comprises a shelf and backboard and a light and buzzer which are activated when the shelf is hit by a ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,416, issued to Robert Callahan, comprises an arcuate rigid member attached to the rim and defining a semi-elliptical space through which the desirably shot ball will pass through.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,539, issued to Daniel Knapp, comprises a conical, open ended, outwardly flaring target supported on the rim of the goal and defining a target designed to improve a basketball shooter's accuracy.
None of the above patents disclose the invention which is the subject of this application.
Improving a player's shot and committing it to "memory" is vital to better scoring ability. An ideally shot ball is one which has a trajectory which places the ball in the center point of the annular rim so that it passes unimpeded through the goal. Unfortunately, this center point is not visible to the player. Further, a ball shot with a less ideal trajectory will ultimately go through the goal, but less consistently, because it will strike the rim or backboard before passing through the goal.
This invention helps a player "see" the target, define the ideal trajectory path and repeat it in practice. The invention helps define the path both affirmatively and negatively. The invention which is the subject of this application comprises an annular member of such a shape that a ball shot with the optimal arch will pass through the member. The top annular surface of the invention is disposed at an angle such that it is visible to the player and such that only a desirably shot ball will pass through. This top annular surface can be brightly colored or otherwise adorned for increased visibility. Ideally, this angle (between the top surface of the device to the bottom surface of the device) is between 20 and 30 degrees.
In a second embodiment, a ball shot with a less than optimal arch, but well enough to pass through the member will activate a light or buzzer or both to provide feedback to the user. In this embodiment, a ball striking flap is disposed within the annular member. An indicator switch is activated by the ball striking flap and electrical indicators are in turn activated by the indicator switch. The indicator switch can activate a light and/or buzzer. A ball which is shot too "deeply", for example, will strike the ball striking flap and activate the light or buzzer.
In another embodiment, a user guideline extends from the front of the cylindrical member to a foot placement pad. Proper foot placement is indicated by a plurality of foot prints, the proper selection of which depends upon the height of the player.
In the preferred embodiment, this invention includes features and uses materials which enhance the security of the device to the basketball goal and enhances the device's usefulness and effectiveness.